DragonFly
by AAnnR
Summary: Maarii, a handmaid for a rich mistress, must find her place in the world. No documentation of her birth, no records of her previous employment, and no relatives to remind her where she came from. An almost impossible feat, and yet, against all odds, an accident unveils her true heritage.
1. Chapter 1

**DragonFly**

**By AAnnR**

Playlist for this Story:

~ You Are Not a Robot by Marina and the Diamonds

~ Possibility by Lykke Li

~ This Is What Makes Us Girls by Lana Del Rey

~ Team by Lorde

~ Ashes Falling Like Snow by Lily Kershaw

~ Hang On by Active Child

~ I'm a Lady by Santigold

~ Beauty Queen by Foxes

~ We Remain by Christiana Aguileria

~ Demons by Imagine Dragons

~ Bones by MS MR

~ This isn't Control by MS MR

~ Sad Dreams by Sky Ferria

~ Utopia by Goldfrapp

~ Send Me Down by HAIM

~ Real Love by Regina Spektor

_(The songs for this story, if you would like to listen to them while reading, are uploaded to my youtube channel as a playlist. ~ AAnnR)_

Large thanks to my beta: xXEmiShaeXx You're amazing!

**Chapter One:**

From the safety of my mistress's room, I sat on the window well watching the blizzard tear its way through the city. Wind whistled, taking snow in its folds, jerking the flakes through the air and throwing pieces against the ground, on walls, and through alleys. In a chaotic way, it was beautiful; more mesmerizing than the stunning array of furniture, tapestries, and linens around me.

Compared to the hectic storm, the stillness of the room was unnerving. The combined breathing of my mistress and I were the only permeation of sound, a large difference of volume to the wind. I was reminded of those nights in the orphanage when I would stay up thinking and be hypnotized by my peers' sounds of sleep.

Soft rustling caught my attention. My head jerked to the sound and I watched as my mistress finished rolling over before settling back down. After a couple of moments, I sighed. I stood, careful to close the curtains, and left the room, shutting the door behind me.

Outside of the room, in the corridor was a reflection of previous decor. The white walls held thick framed oil paintings, harvested by famous Hunters from around the world. One of my mistress's favorites was hanging near the front entrance. A priceless piece, recovered from ancient ruins near Koliari. My mistress loved the painting for its simplistic style. For much the same reason, I loathed it. The subject's haunting vision was deep, emotions hidden with colors her mistress was much too young to fully understand.

The grandfather clock rung, five deep tones indicating the time. I followed the cream marble to the vast staircase. Passing several cleaning maids, I walked past each one keeping their eyes to the front. It was common practice to pursue tasks in the mansion with quick precision, no hired hand had time for idle chatting. The only words permitted to be spoken were instructions of summons. As for daily duties, most chores were recorded on a massive green chalkboard in the kitchen. Listed names and bullet points indicated their tasks.

At the ground floor, I turned down a few hallways before entering the main kitchen. Personnel rushed around franticly. Cooks shouted orders to and fro, maids scurried in and out of the side exits holding cleaning supplies and fresh linens. Along the back wall individual trays of hot food sat on the counter, names attached to the top of each platter. Moving with careful quickness, I rested my mistress's platter against my hip and the crook of my arm. I exited through a door to my right, down the corridor and up a flight of stairs. Several servant entrances later, I pushed open the door to my mistress's room.

I sat the tray on a small table near the window and removed the tray lid, setting up the table ware, placing the plates of food in the middle, and a clean plate on a lacy place-mat. I filled two glasses, one with water, the other with hot chocolate. Finished, I lit several incense candles on my mistress's dresser before moving to flip on the light switch next to her bed.

Bright, intense light filled the spacefrom the crystal chandelier in the center of her room. My mistress groaned, burying herself deeper into her sheets. I rolled my eyes and stood there for a moment, giving my mistress a moment to leave the confines of her bed. When she did not do so of her own vocation I gripped the edges of her covers and yanked them off of her.

My mistress lay there, curled in a ball, her eyes scrunched tight. "No." One arm unfurled from her body, searching for the blankets that were no longer on her bed. Instead, they were planted in an untidy mess on the floor.

I placed my hands on my hips and stared at her. When she didn't move I retreated to her dresser and began to pull out clothing, under garments, a skirt, a blouse; I set them at the foot of her bed. Then, on her vanity, I switched on her straightener and pulled her cosmetics and brush out for her to use.

Again, my mistress groaned, "Why do I have to get up so early?" I glanced at her, now on her back and hugging a pillow to her chest, phone in the air above her. Her blonde hair splayed on the bed around her. The phone lowered itself on the bed and she lifted herself to stand on the floor. She quickly discarded her clothes and replaced them with the clothes I had set out. Casually, she flicked her wrist towards the table of food and a roll quickly jumped into her hand. Taking a bite, she sauntered over.

She pointed to the hair brush and flicked it up to me, "I'm thinking french braid, how about you?" I nodded, grabbing the brush from thin air and set to work. Reaching around her, I gathered a pocket full of bobby pins and a hair tie, which I slid on my wrist.

Many maids and butlers were unsettled by my mistress's ability. While I could agree cognitively floating objects were not normal, I was not bothered by the talent. I found it slightly humorous to witness the reactions of staff when my mistress would move something out of place, or throw things three times her body weight without touching them.

Running a brush through her hair until it was smooth and workable, I started from the top of her head and worked my way down. While I toiled over her hair, my mistress started cleaning her face, removing traces of make-up from the night before, and allowing the alcoholic substance to cleanse her pores. When her face dried, she levitated her foundation, an invisible hand making long strokes around the edges of her face. Next came eye liner, eyeshadow and mascara. By then, I had finished off her french braids, and stepped away to make up her bed.

Placing the last pillow into place, my mistress sighed, "Done!" She stood and went to her dresser to select a couple pieces of jewelry and put them on. She turned to me, "What do you think?" I smiled and nodded, giving her a thumbs up. My mistress rolled her eyes, "You're paid to say that, Maarii." I clutched my hand to my heart, feigning being shot. She laughed, "Whatever."

I smiled at her laughter. Being seventeen and the only heir to her father's company, I rarely saw her smile outside of her social circle. As her personal maid, I often took it upon myself to amuse her, especially after a hard day of school and tense corporate matters.

When my mistress moved to leave, she paused for a moment and turned back to me. "Oh!" She gushed. "Remember, Neon is coming over today!"_ Oh geeze. _I thought. "Don't give me that look! She happens to be my best friend, so I expect everything to be perfect." Her hands spread apart, gesturing widely around her. "I will tell the head butler, just make sure the preparations are ready."

I nodded in acknowledgment,not wishing to go against my mistress's desires. Bowing low, I heard the door open and close, marking her departure.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The head butler had me running errands throughout town; pork from the butcher, leeks from the market, bleach from the department store, ect. While the list was extensive covering a wide variety of items and locations, it was quickly finished. My car was filled to the brim when I returned to the mansion. I rolled it around to the back where four men waited, calm calculation etched into their faces. I slowed to a stop and stepped out of my car. The men were quick to begin unloading, all four piling objects in their arms and taking them into the building. They must handed them off to someone else, because they returned back to the car's side within moments.

When the last object was out, one of the butlers extended his hand out, palm up. Reluctantly, I tossed him the keys and I walked through the door. Behind me, I heard my car start up and drive off.

Back in the kitchen, new tasks had been added to my list replacing my completed duties: 'set up and clean adjacent guest room for Mistress Neon', 'procure fresh fruit into a bowl and place in the guest room', and 'oversee a list of snacks.' In cursive, beneath the list said_ 'see head butler upon completion of work.' _

XXX

'Caput Pincerna' was carved in maple wood, gold paint lining the indents, bright against the darkness of material. I remember the first time I was summoned, back within the first month of my employment. Not only was it my first time in the room, but the only time was summoned. Being back here made me nervous. The head butler was to be treated with the highest formality, despite personal preference. He was a made scarcely seen, only pronouncing his presence in times of social necessity or in household turmoil.

I sat on the hand carved bench outside the door, ankles crossed, head down, and head tilted down. Apart from me, there was no one else present in the hallway. So, I waited alone to be called into the room.

A bell rang and the tumblers pulled a lock, metal grinding against wood, from inside the door frame. I stood, turned the cool metal handle, and pushed the door open. The door was heavy and took great effort to close once it was open. After a moment of struggling, I stood at attention and bowed.

"Miss Maarii," His voice was deep, reverberating off the walls of the room. "Please, sit." I straightened, moved to a leather seat before his desk and sat. The head butler was a large man, his own suit tailored to hide his formidable body, but it could not hide his broad shoulders, long legs, or massive hands. His hair was cropped flat on the top and thin on the sides, and his face was cleanly shaved. While he could have easily been in his early twenties, the lines of his face showed an opposite truth.

He leaned forward, forearms propped against the surface of the desk. "I'll get right to chase, miss Maarii," I nodded. "I have been informed of your..." He paused, he pondered for a moment. "Dislike for Mistress Neon." He stood, the seat groaning as the weight of his body disappeared. At his full height, the head butler was even more intimidating than sitting. "It seems like a majority of the staff shares your opinion." He rounded the desk and walked a file cabinet in the corner behind me. "The usual guest attendants are reluctant to serve Mistress Neon," He continued to talk, the sound of shuffling papers in the background. "Due to her treatment of them during Mistress Neon's last stay."

This was not new information. Mistress Neon's horrendous actions to staff were legendary, even in other households; she took advantage of our kindness, utilized our willingness to comply with our master's desire to provide entertainment for herself. In most cases, her requests caused several of the employees serious injuries. Most recently, a maid was admitted to the hospital for brain trauma.

"And," he strode to the front of his desk and handed me a file. I cracked it open Mistress Neon's picture graced my eyes. "In lue of this, since you are the handmaid of our mistress, caring for our guest will be passed to you."

I stared at him, dread filling me. I started to shake my head but the head butler raised his hand. "Unfortunately, you are not in a position to refuse, considering you circumstances." I sighed and closed my eyes. He was right, the family's generosity had saved me from death. I owed them my life, and refusing to do as ordered would be disrespectful to their kindness.

"Review that file, it contains a basic knowledge of Mistress Neon." His hands clasped behind his back, his stance formal. I stood, file in hand, and bowed. "Your services begin upon our mistress' return, until then, you are dismissed."

XXX

Sitting at the servant's table, I closed the file. While the file was thin, it still contained an immense amount of information. Nothing that would detriment our guest, but it still contained several pages of medical history, social review, and emotional tendencies. There was also some information about her bodyguards, of whom would be accompanying her to the mansion. Photographs and job description were outlined, as well as brief medical descriptions. Now only was I to look after my mistress and Mistress Neon, but I was also responsible for providing basic care for her escorts.

I sighed,_ 'my life just got harder.'_ I stood from the servant's table and looked around. The room was void of human life. On normal days, there were at least attendants to run small errands for the maids and butlers. However, due to the busy nature of the day, all personnel was being utilized.

Leaving the Servant's Waiting Room, I returned to the Head Butler's office and slid the folder beneath his door. I continued on my way down the hallway. Of all Mistress Neon's body guards, there were a couple that seemed very intimidating. Three of the personnel were large and muscular. Their profiles contained little information and a scarce amount of variety, the only major difference lied in Dalzollone's pages. His profile indicated that he was the one in charge. The head bodyguard. The rest of the guards were smaller in stature, but even less was written about them. The information never went beyond their names, gender, estimated age, position, and date of employment.

I opened the door to a staff restroom, flicked on the light and locked the door. 'At least the daily duties were specified,' I thought to myself. I turned on the sink tap and ran my fingers underneath the faucet. I splashed water up to my face and rubbed my skin with the heel of my hands. The agenda now sat in my apron pocket, folded; safe from prying eyes and harsh environmental hazards.

I dried my face with a hand towel and set to work re-braiding my hair. Thick and mousy, it was hardly ever tame enough to pull it up into an intricate bun the female staff styled their hair into. Instead, I maneuvered my tangled hair into two braids and pinned them flat against my head.

My eyes matched the color of my hair, and held the same wildness my hair seemed to possess - both large and filled with life. Expressive. My face was well kept, tidy and clean, as one would expect from a handmaid.

Satisfied, I checked my uniform before unlocking the bathroom and walking towards the front entrance. My mistress would be returning soon, and I needed to be there to great her and her guest.

Two lines of maids lined the entrance just inside the doorway. Two butlers and the Head Butler had placed themselves at the end of the two row. Two more butlers stood on either side of the entrance doors, their white gloved hands on each of the handles. I placed myself in a space in line as the grandfather clock struck 4:00. Beneath the chiming, the sounds of a motorized vehicle pulled up to the door. Car doors closed and giggling approached. The Head Butler signaled to open the doors.

As sunlight poured onto the white marble floor we bowed low. "Welcome home, Mistress Calpok and Mistress Neon." The maids and butlers all recited in unison.


End file.
